Audrey Tautou, Reluctant Star

By
Liz Kelly

Audrey Tautou with Tom Hanks in a scene from the upcoming "Da Vinci Code." (AP/Sony Pictures)

Let it be known that Audrey Tautou is the cutest thing since Monchichi (And Monchichi are way cuter than My Little Pony, Smurfs and Cuppycake combined). I have a total girl crush on her (also known as idolspizing). She is tres cool and a quirky, subtle, irrepressible presence in movies like "Amelie" and "Dirty Pretty Things."

And, with her starring role opposite Tom Hanks in the mega-anticipated "Da Vinci Code" movie, some would say Tautou's on track to not only cross over the Atlantic from her native France, but cross over from indie darling to full-fledged Hollywood It Girl.

There's just one tiny little catch, Tautou has had enough and says she's considering an early retirement from acting in favor of a quieter lifestyle. We hear you, Audrey. This is completely understandable considering the endless junketing involved with promotion of a major studio release.

But I, for one, hope she doesn't retire. Sure, "Amelie" was an unexpected sensation and "Da Vinci" couldn't be higher profile, but maybe Tautou could look at some other examples of international actresses -- like Franka Potente and Kate Winslet -- who tread the same path and managed to return to the independents relatively unscathed.

Peeking at her IMDB profile, I see Audrey's got two post "Da Vinci" movies in production -- both en Francais and neither involving Tom Hanks or Ron Howard. Maybe there's no cause for alarm after all.